Ball-cock



March 14, 1933. H. D. cLEMMoNs BALL COCK March 14, 1933. H DKQCLEMMONS 1,901,633

1 BALL cock Filed June 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IWI!!! INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT D. CLEHMONS, 0F STURGIS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 SCOVILL MANUFACTUB- ING WMPANY, 0F WATEBBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT lBALL-coen Application led .Tune 4,

This invention relates to ball-cocks and has for an object the provision of a ball-cock which will operate rapidly and silently at all pressures of the water iowing thereithrough.

It has been known for some time that the hissin noise of ball-cocks could be minimize or eliminated by causing the water to flow through retarding passages. These retarding passages have usually been made tortuous and more often spiral. As they have heretofore been designed and operated they function best at a given pressure but are not very effective at other pressures. When installed throughout a tall building where the hydrostatic pressure varies, it has frequently been found necessary to provide a number of different types or models for different pressure ranges. This is expensve and troublesome. Moreover, if the pressure at the source changes, all of the ball-cocks may become noisy. This can only be remedied by replacement. It is, therefore, highly desirable to have a ball-cock which can be installed and adj usted to operate satisfactorily for the different pressures which` may exist initially or which may later be imposed.

The resent invention provides such a ballcock w ich is composed of few and simple parts and which consequently may be economically manufactured and installed and which will give long and satisfactory servlce.

In order that the enumerated and other objects and advantages of the invention may be understood by those skilled in the art, an illustrative embodiment of the invention will be described hereinbelow, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a ball-cock embodying the invention, the view ybeing taken onthe line 1-1 of Figure 3;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section partly in elevation where the casing has been cut away, the view being taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a top plan view;

1929. Serial No. 368,290.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line 5--5 of Figure 2.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the ball-cock is supported within a tank 10 by the supply pipe 11 which is fastened to the tank wall by Hanged nuts 12, 13. A packing piece 14 seals the joint between the tank and pipe. A union nut 15 connects the supply pipe 11 with a system pipe 16. A screw joint 17 in` the supply pipe 11 provides for removal of the ball-cock assembly without opening the joint between the tank and supply pipe.

The ball-cock proper comprises a casin or body 20 threaded u on a plug 21 secure to the supply pipe. he plug is provided with a raised concentric valve seat 22 cooperating with a float controlled valve 23. The closure disc 24 of the' valve is held in place by a flanged ferrule 25.

The valve 23 is operated by a lever 26 fulcrumed upon a pin 27 carried by a short casing bracket 28. The valve lever 2B is actuated by a lever 29 connected thereto by a pivotedllink 30. The lever 29 is journaled at 31 to along casing bracket 32 and supports the stem 34 of a oat ball in a threaded socket in its o uter end.

The casing 20 is in general U-shaped with one arm longer than the other. The float valve 23 controlling the inlet is in one of the le of the U and certain parts associated with the outlet are disposed in the chamber forming the other leg of the U. A cross flow duct 35 is located in the connectin bar of the U. An extension of the disc arge chamber includes a coupling 36 and a discharge tube 37.

Preferably the valve casing is formed in two parts joined by a nipple 38 forming part of the cross ow du'ct 35. A acking washer 39 is placed between the adjacent edges of the casing parts to seal the jolnt.

Means vcomprising a tortuous retarding channel are provided for silencing the fiow of water throu h the ball-cock. It is one of the features o the present invention that the entire ow .of water always passes through a retarding passage, whatever thepreure adjustment may be.

In the present embodiment the silencing means comprises a structure 40 inserted in the discharge chamber 41. The structure includes an outer member 42 having aspiral passage or groove 43 formed on its outer surface. The member 42 has a bore 44 opening toward its lower end, which bore is partl closed at the upper end by a head 45 provid)I ed with a central hole 46. Within the bore 44 and spaced from the head 45 by a lug 47 is an inner member 48 provided on its outer surface with a spiral passage or groove 49. The inner member may be retained in the outer by a rivet 50.

As best shown in Figure l both spiral passages terminate at their lower ends in the same transverse plane but are inclined in opposite directions so that the swirling action of the water iowing from one of them is counteracted by the opposite swirling faction of water from the other. To further deaden the swirling action of the water flowing out of the s iral passages (see Figure 5) a baille or recti ying device is placed below the ends of the passages 43 and 49. The baille comprises a series of radial plates 52 positioned in the reducing coupling 36.

Means is provided for throttlin the flow of water through the ball-cock. is means comprises a valve which is turned toward closed sition to restrict the fiow of water when t e pressure is high and turned toward open position to increase the available space for How when the pressure is low.

As shown in the drawings the preferred embodiment of this means includes a partition 54 insertable in the outlet chamber. The partition is formed with a conical recess 55 on its upper side connectin at its lower end with a bore 56 extending t e remaining distance through the partition. The conical portion of the partition thus in effect constitutes a sleeve surrounding the valve head and shaped to change the flow of water as the head approaches a seat in the bottom of the sleeve.

A valve including a stem 57, threaded through the top of the casing, and a conical head 58 cooperates with the conical recess of the partition to regulate or throttle thelow of water. The valve never by itself completely stops the dow of water for, as seen in Figure 4, the conical recess in the partition is provided with grooves 59 which prevent the valve from seating at several points.

If desired, a lug 60 may be provided on the upper, end of the, retarding structure to hold the removable partition 54 in place.

In assembling, lthe throttle valve is inserted from the bottom end of the discharge chamber so is provided with a turning slot on the lower end as well as on the upper end. A lock nut 62 threaded on the valve stem holds it securely in adjusted ositions.

A refill cavity 63 eading to a refill tube 64 is formed in the discharge chamber below the throttle valve. The throttle valve thus serves to limit the pressure of water to the refill tube as well as' to the retardin passages. For additional support the re ll tube is braced by a boss-65 formed on the side of the casing and provided with a hole for receiving the tube.

A ball-cock made in accordance with the above description is adapted to operate quietly at all ressures and at the same time to fill the tan uickl The retarding `passages and the rot e valve itself are designed to minimize hissing or gurgling noises for an pressure for which the device ma be set. any other advantages will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

It is also to be understood that the invention may be modified, as for example in the relative disposition of parts and in various other ways within the spirit of the invention as set forth in the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a ball-cock, in combination, a valve body or casing in the general shape of the letter U, said body being formed in two parts joined by a nipple and sealed together along the connecting bar of the U, a iioat controlled stop valve in one stem of the U, Boat actuated mechanism for operating said stop valve, said mechanism being disposed to leave clear the space above the other or outlet stem of the U, a throttle valve for restrictin the flow of water from said stop valve, said t rottle valve including a stem threaded through the cover of the body and a head disposed 1n the outlet portion of the body, a partition in said outlet aving a conical grooved seat cooperating with said valve head, a plurality of juxtaposed oppositely directed spiral silencing passages receiving water from said throttle valve, a iow rectifying device including a series` of radial p.1 ates receiving water from said spiral Esages, andda relill chanlel opening in to the alon i e sai s ira assa 2 yIn a Iisall-cock, combinatifd a valve body having an inlet and an outlet,alloatactu ated valve for controlling the flow of fluid, an independent throttle valve placed beyond the throttle valve in the direction of iow for restricting the flow of iluid from the ioat controlled valve and spiral tortuous passage means located beyond the float actuated valve for retardin and silencing the entire ow of fluid from te throttle valve.

3. In a ball-cock, in combination, a valve body having an inlet, a sto valve for said inlet, an outlet chamber, spiral flow-retarding means Lin said outlet chamber, and means for regulating the flow of fluid from said stop valve to said flow-retarding means.

4. A ball-cock comprisin a casing having valve having spiral silencing passages therea Water passage, a cut-off va ve and a throttle valve forcontrollin the flow of water therethrough, said thrott e valve including a head 5 and stem,a sleeve surrounding the valve head, said sleeve being formed to provide an eli'eqtive How space of varying size as the valve head and sleeve move relatlvely to each other and a spiral silencing passage beyond sai throttle valve.

5. In a ball-cock, in combination, a valve body having a water passage therethrough, said passage including a lurality of separate independent tortuous su passages disposed concentrically of each other.

6. In a ball-cock, in combination, a valve body having a water passage therethrough, said passage includin a plurality of tortuous sub-passages disposed coneentricall of each other, said sub-passages being spira ed in opposite directions.

7. A silencing device for ball-cocks com prising a fluid conduit, and a plurality of separate spiral ow-retarding passages acting m parallel to divide the flow of iiuid in said conduit between them, and discharging opposing streams therefrom.

8. A silencing device for ball-cocks comprising a fluid conduit, and a plurality of juxtaposed ow-retarding passages acting in parthrough.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 28th day of im May, 1929.

HERBERT D. CLEMMONS.

allel to divide the How of liuid in said conduit between them, and throttle means dis osed immediately above the intake ends o said passages for controlling the ow of fluid.

9. In a valve, in combination, a valve casing having a fluid conduit, and a dow-retarding device in said conduit, including an outer element provided with an external flow-re tarding passage and an internal bore partially closed by a head, and an inner element provided with an external flow-retarding passage terminating approximately in the same transverse plane. with the passage of the outer element, said inner element being spaced from the head of said outer element.

10. In a valve, in combination, a valve casing having a fluid conduit, a flow-retarding structure in said conduit, a llow-rectifying device disposed near but spaced from one end of said structure, and a valve disposed near but spaced from the other end of said structure.

11. In a ball-cock, in combination, a valve 55 casing, a oat controlled valve therein, atortuous silencing passage in said casing, a throttle valve above said passage, said valve including means to prevent full closing thereof, and a refill opening located alongside the si- 60 lencing passage.

12. In a ball-cock, in combination, a valve casing, a conical throttle valve therein, a conical seat therefor provided with lon 'tudinal grooves to prevent full closing of t e valve, 05 and a member placed in said casing below said CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. l,90l,633. March 14, 1933.

HERBERT D. CLEMMONS.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printedspecilication ofthe abovenumbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 119, claim 2, for "throttle" read "float actuated"; and line |22, for "lloat actuated" read "throttle" and that the said Letters Patent should be read withthese corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of April, A. D. 1933 M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner ol Patents. 

